Spring support for vehicles



SPRING SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES Original Filed May 10 1924 F'H-L INVENTOR Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT F. SHORE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPRING SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES lefile of application Serial No. 712,219, filed This invention relates to spring elements of simple construction, particularly adapted January 1, 1928 and hence this application is to be regarded as a refiling of the said abandoned application.

In springs of ordinary construction, provision is made for vertical fiexure, which serves all purposes when thevehicle is moving slowly; however, when the vehicle is moving rapidly, a form of spring resistance is set up which has a tendency to so stiflen leaf-springs, particularl of the semi-elliptic form, that positive shoe s are communicated to the suspendedbody of the vehicle and to the passengers in saidbody, which shocks may be classed as a form oftransmitted vi bration similar to the vibration of a bell or piano-wire action when struck a blow and emitting a sound. This is a shortcoming and a disadvantage in the ordinary methods of spring construction, particularly semi-elliptic springs, and is caused by the flexure or flat tening and hencea consequent lengthening of the spring-leaf or leaves so as to impart a certain amount of creeping motion to the axle-setsor unsprung masses in them relati on to the connectionof thespring to the chassis.

It will thus be obvious that when an :obstruo lion or.irregularity in; the roadway is encountered by the vehicle-wheels, not only does the axle move in a direction toward the chassis but a force is also exerted on the axle in a direction to move it away from its fixed connection with the chassis. Under great speed, the unsprung mass of the axle thus present-ssuch high inertia, that, as a matter of fact, the springs can only flex with great difficulty, and, hence, direct as Well as indirect horizontal or longitudinal shocks are not only transmittedto, the body of thevehicle but also abnormal verticalshocks. To over- May 10, 1924. This application filed March 7, 1928. Serial come this difiiculty and disadvantage, such shocks are automatically and almost instantaneously absorbed'bythe spring elements of simple construction embodying my invention and covered by this application, and in which construction the spring-leaf or leaves are provided at one endlor'portion with'a special transverse curvature having its tangent approximately at rightangles to the plane of the i'elativelyilatfor bowed portion constituting the other end of the said springdeaf or leaves. This transverse curvature of the spring-leaf or leaves is practically perpendicularat the fixed eye of the main or upper leaf of thespring element. The object of the vertical or perpendicular disposition of the end of the spring prov ded with the accentuated'curvature described, is to pernnt longitudinaliflexure'of the spring as 'a whole when the wheel or wheels of the vehicle "encounter sudden head-on shocks asa result of unusual obstructions, depressions or irregularities in the highway,- or when the inertia ofthe axle masses is too. great to allow the free transverse fiexure of the relatively-flat or bowed portion constituting the other end of the spring element. g

The foregoing and otherobjects of the in vention will be fully described. and claimed hereinafter and which are illustrated in the drawing accompanying and formingpart oil thisapplication, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of my improved spring means applied to a special form of cantilever spring suspension which is attached to, the chassis frame of an automotive vehicle, only so much of the vehicle-frame being shown asis essential to an understanding of the invention.

Fig.2 is'a plan view of the end of the.

spring shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the man nor of connecting same to the chassis-frame.

Fig. .3 is a perspective view of a spring-leaf constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; and

F' g. 4: is an elevation showing another form I of cantileverspring suspension provided with mylnvention. y

IIl Flg. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a bracket 11 attached to the frame in any sultable or convenient manner. A spring of quarter-elliptical form, having a main or upper leaf a and an auxiliary or lower leaf 7), is secured at one end upon the lever 7, adjacent to the link connection 10 of the lever with the frame, by a bolt 12 passing through perforations in the spring leaves a and Z) and through the lever 7, and which spring is also secured in place on the lever by a spring-clip 13 straddling the said spring leaves and lever, respectively. The free ends of the springleaves are curved transversely or upwardly, as indicated at 14, which curved portion has its tangent terminating approximately at right-angles to the plane of the relatively horizontal or bowed portion 14: of'the spring leaves, the main or upper l af a of the spring having a fulcrum eye laforthe engagement of a stud16 secured in the end of the frame 6 to support said end ofthe spring. The free end of the auxiliary or lower leaf 6 extends to a point beyond the center of the fulcrum eye 15 of the main leaf (1, as clearly shown in the drawing, for the purpose of stiffening and strengthening the main leaf at that point. The leaves are relatively heavy and gradually taper both in thickness and width from their point of anchorage on thelever 7 to the ends of said leaves. Also. preferably, the main leaf a is heavier than the auxiliary leaf 7) that is, it has greater thickness but-tapers propor tionally both in width and thickness from the point of anchorage to itsouter end. By the use of this arrangement of spring suspension, a spring having a single leaf is as strong and elastic and practical as the present commercial spring provided with a plurality of thin leaves of the same thickness and width throughout; however, as a safety factor, it is preferable. to use at least a pairof spring leaves. a

To prevent excessive rebounds of the spring after ithas beensuddcnly compressed under overload, or from any other cause expected or uuex )ected, a. bearing 17 is ri 'idl' secured to the spring-leaves a short distance from their ends and within the curved portion let thereof. shaped link 18, which embraces thesides of the spring leaves aand b andthe lever 7, said link being provided at its lower end with a cushioning roller 19 of rubber or anyother suitable material. to engage the lowersurface of the lever 7. To prevent the link 18 from swinging outwardly or inwardly too far,

Said bearing pivotally supports a U-' when the spring is suddenly compressed and for limiting its movement in this respect, lugs 1919 are provided on the bearing 17 and which extend laterally thereof. The roller 19 not only prevents undue shock but also overcomes any objectionable noise when coming into contact with the lever '7 in the rebound of the spring after compression.

Assuming the vehicle wheel encounters an obstruction or irregularity in the roadway and which transmits a sudden shock to the axle S in a direction from the left as viewed 'inFig. 1 of the drawin said shock comniu-nicated in a direct line parallel to the lever T In a spring suspension system of ordinary construction, this shock would be transmitted to the frame 6 throu'gl'i the sprii'ig acting as a. tension member. In my new and improved spring construction, this shock will'be neutralized by a flexu-re of the upward turned or curved portion 14 of the leaf-spring. As the vehicle wheel passes over such irregularity of the roadway, a vertical or upward movement is imparted to the axle 8 and a con'setpient rocking of the lever a I l, 4, thereby correspondingly flexlng the relatively-fiat or bowed portion 1 1 of the sprmg,

which causes a lengthening of the spring as a whole, which is permitted by the movement of the spring and lever through the link connection 10 of the lever-with the frame 6.' In the ordinary construction of spring suspensions, the lengthening of the spring is resisted .by the inertia of the axle and the unsprung masses connected therewith, this resistance varying and depending upon the speed of compression and the weight of the unsprungiinasses. This opposition to the lengtheningo-f the spring autmnatically de- 'velops an abnormal stiffness and slowness of response. By bending or curving the extremity ofthe spring, as at 14, as the vehicle wheel strikes the obstruction or irregularity in the roadway, said curved portion of the spring will yield as above explained and at the same time be flexed ina vertical direction independent of any movement of the spring through the link connection 10 of the lever with c t-heframe andthereby aiiton'nit'ically absorbs the shock of encountering the obstruc ti on. struction, the ,load :on thespring and the movei'nent of the lever through the link connection 10 will flex the c olnparatively-flat or bewcd portion i l. of the spring, thereby arising an elongation or flattening of the sprin fleavcs, (sis abdomen-0111 the drawing. ihis flattening or elongation of the spring leaves causes an. increased length of contact support between the, spring leaves and lever and therebyshortens the distance between theload and support and permits the use of aspring of comparatively light construction. As the vehicle wheel rides over the obstruction, the axle-carrying end As the wheel rides o'verth'e ob of the lever 7 will move away from the spring, but such movement of the lever not only limited and retarded by the link 18 but is also softened or absorbed by the friction or tension of the cushioning-roller 19 of the link 18 when the spring leavcs tend to flex or bow the comparatively-fiat portion -14 thereof. Furthermore, this recoil-arresting link 18 is so arranged and positioned that the spring is normally held under slight compression thereby, thus affording a smoother action of the spring at the beginning of compression under shock than would be the case were the spring not so held. By the arrangement described, the tendency of the vehicleframe and axle to creep, one relatively to the other, is practically eliminated.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the lever 7 is fixed at one end to the axle 8 and has a pivotal connection 10 with the vehicle frame 6 at the other end. in a manner similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1. In fact, the spring construction is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, hereinbefore fully described, with tl e exception that it is reversed; viz., the free ends of the leaves of the spring are curved transversely downwardly instead of upwardly as in Fig. 1, the main leaf a having the fulcrum eye for engagement of the stud 16 secured to the lever 7, to fulcrum the end of said leaf from the lever 7. In this arrangement of Fig. 4, the spring is anchored on the frameG by means of a bolt 20 passing through perforations in the spring leaves a and Z) and threaded into a bracket 21 fixed to the frame in any suitable n'ianner. A spring-clip 22 embraces the spring leaves a and Z), to prevent displacement of the same, said clip being also secured to the bracket 21 on the frame (3. A recoil-arresting link 23 is likewise utilized, said link being pivotally carried by a bearing member 24 fixed to the vehicle frame 6, said bearing member being provided with laterally-projecting lugs 24, adapted to limit the movement of the link andrthe link having at its lower end a cushioningaoller 25 of rubber or other suitable material, said link being adapted to embrace the spring leaves and to function as hereinbefore described in connection with the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction of the spring, the clamping anchorage or bowed portion having the greatest cross-section may be of standard structure and curvature, while the curved end portion is preferably arranged so that the extremity terminates withthe fulcrum eye in aplane'which is approximately at right-angles to the plane of said portion of greatest cross-section, with the auxiliary leaf extending to a point approxi mately at the commencement of the curve of said fulcrumeye of the main leaf and beyond the center thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: t

1. In a spring-support for vehicles, the combination with the vehicle frame and axle, of a lever connected at one end to the axle and having a pivotal connection at the opposite end with the vehicle frame, a quarterelliptical spring having its resilient end curved with the "curvature having its tangent at its other end to the vehicle-frame, a leafspring anchored on the vehicle-frame adjacent the connection on the frame of the lever, said leafspring being fulcrumed on said lever near the connection of the lever to the axle, a U-shaped link pivotally attached to the vehicleframe, said link embracing the leaf-spring and having means adapted to arrest and limitcthe rebound of said spring, and a cushioning-roller interposed between the link and spring.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ALBERT F. SHORE. 

